I WILL NOT VOTE FOR HIM

This ‘umblera’, as the Fedora’s consort is wont to call it, is decrepit and leaking profusely; those under its shade - some of them are good people but many of them are perverted election riggers – are oblivious of the strength of a wind of tsunami proportion gaining currency among the Nigerian electorate: change! The worst of shelters is that offered by a cobweb, the spider’s house; it does not cover the spider from wind or conceal its secret from onlookers; it neither protects from rain nor does it shield it against sun’s heat. If the spider, destined by its Maker to weave and use cobweb as dwelling, cannot contemplate change; the people under the umblera, as human beings endowed with the faculty of discernment, can and should have a U-turn to a better, more protective shade since the one under which they gather is not serving its purpose!

Some of them had sought refuge in other territories in the past only to renege and return to the ruining party after securing victory under a different platform. Renegades in politics! It brings to mind Divine narratives in the holy books about people believing then, disbelieving and later believing, then disbelieving and again believing only to disbelieve a third time and so on.  Is the same scenario repeating itself in the desertions (popularly called decamping in Nigerian English) we see from the umblera to the wining party?

Whatever is the case, I will not vote for a political renegade who is in politics for his personal gains, on a narrow marge; when his party allows him to contest, he is well content; but if another is anointed, he turns on his face to another party to get elected, only to revert, as stated above, to the leaking umblera afterwards. I won’t vote for a man, who cannot even keep his words and honour his agreements; who signed an agreement on power rotation to keep the nation one only to renege and defend his greedy plans.

Let them dominate the airwaves with their laughable adverts with contraband candidates; people can see beyond the curtain of plagiarised jingles and vote according to their conscience. Let them continue to dole out our commonwealth in crumbs and bits to hungry, unprincipled mercenaries; it will not matter much if Allah brings His victory.

I will not vote for a clueless, incipient candidate who does not have the wit to proffer workable solution to our problems. One who is apparently out of touch with the economic realities of Nigeria; I will not vote for him. One whose only claim to greatness was that he appointed the indomitable and irrepressible arbiter of our votes; a decision he took when he was yet to decide on contesting. A leader who forbids people to rig for him but aids and abets rigging with his actions, who promises a free and fair election but whose agencies repress any attempt to have a level playing field; I will not vote for him!

Leadership means ability to articulate vision; to explain it unequivocally in such a way that no one is left in doubt about the leader’s belief in the path he intends to tread, and thus he will effortlessly convince the led to be his companions on the journey to better standard of living, economic prosperity and security of life and property. The presidential debates present a unique opportunity for candidates to tell the electorate what they envisioned as key to more prosperous nationhood and unwind their plan on how to enrich our future. I will not vote for such candidate as deserts presidential debate venues unless they are stage-managed by government-controlled media; one who insists on seeing the questions beforehand.

A good leader accommodates dissent, encourages criticism and recognises the fact that opposition enhances democracy. A candidate, who represses opposition parties, denies them even the right to hold rallies and looks the other way when his goons destroy their billboards, etc.; such candidate does not merit my vote. Also, that state chief security officer who caused the removal of an Imam for preaching against the umblera, I will not vote for. Allah will gladden out hearts by expelling them from the government house through the power of our votes. I will not vote for one, who within a period of nine months depleted our foreign reserves without any commensurate benefit to the people, who vomits words on live television only to swallow them later (October 1st 2010 comes to mind)

I am not looking for a Muslim or a Christian candidate for my vote. I’m looking for a group in which I can entrust my future and that of my progeny. When I voted for change during last Saturday’s elections somebody asked me who I voted for. I said I don’t know. What I know is that I did not vote for the umblera, so I didn’t need to know the candidate. That may be wrong politically under normal circumstances. But in a situation like ours where a clique has vowed to steal our mandate for sixty years running, what is important is voting the ruining part out of office by any means necessary. Nigeria can show the world that revolution is possible without marching to Tahrir Square!

                                      Voting Going on 

Professor Attahiru Jega’s INEC assures us that ballot papers have hidden codes according to polling stations. This will assuage fears and strengthen our faith in the current electoral process that at the end of the day, with all the fake ballot papers floating on the wave of umbleraic attempts to rig the elections; with all the snatching and stuffing of ballot boxes, our votes will, nevertheless, count, as we ardently hope that Jega’s INEC will expose the counterfeit votes in election tribunals and give evidence in support of the people’s will.

As Fedora and his ‘nest of killers’, to quote Kongi himself, promise us fresh air, I say it is true; after all, what is their promise except empty air? - Fresh or stale!

Events in Ivory Coast have shown the end of obstinate election riggers: disdainful capture, humiliated exit and the restoration of power to the rightful winners of elections!

By the way, to answer the question of whom to vote for on Saturday, I say if you are satisfied with the way the Umblera people have administered the country in the last 12 years, please vote for Fedora; but if you suffer what millions suffer daily in this country because of inept and corrupt management of our human and material resources, please vote for change. I hope I am clear enough.

Unfortunately, the progressives may not have their way in this …

YOUR REACTIONS ON ABORTING “ALLAH’S PURPOSE”

Dear Ustaz,

Allahu Akbar! This is one of the best articles I have read in recent times. I so much enjoyed it that I read it thrice. I was somewhere recently and we were discussing it. We all concluded that Allah will use His ``Jalajalaluhu' on them. And for your information, my friend in New Nigeria wants to publish the article. Would you be kind enough to send him the picture electronically?

A similar one is the inscription on various bill boards and araba buses where the President was boasting to give Nigerians ``fresh air''. This is the height of arrogance. Time will tell, as the wind of change is blowing through ballot boxes. Jazaka lahu khaeran for this, Abdurrahman Balogun rahmor2001@yahoo.com

Salaam, thanks for the piece… You have carefully hit the nail on the head when you asked the question "is Mr Alhaji Haruna Endurance a Muslim"? I am sure he is not; he is only doing this for the purpose of his desperate selfish interest for public office, forgetting that this world and all he wants are vanity. Sanni Rabi sanni_rabi@yahoo.com

Assalamu alaikum my dear Ustaz. May Allah reward you and your family with Aljannah Firdaus for your intellectual jihad. Last Friday’s article in the LEARDERSHIP was a saviour for the Muslims in this country as you condemned the way politicians particularly PDP are mocking Islam and Muslims. Kindly issue another strong article to condemn the way PDP is molesting verses of the Qur’an in its posters and placed anywhere. Thanks. ‍0803 586 99 08

Assalamu alaikum, May Allah reward you with al-Firdausi for your article (ABORTING ALLAH'S PURPOSE) and reward the Muslim ummah with many more like you.  Sister Maimuna Ibrahim Makarfi, Kaduna State. ‍0703 168 15 70

Jazaakallahu khairan Ustaz four your response to Mr Endurance; I just read it now and send text to you twice with my Etisalat line but both text were not delivered. By ALLAH I LOVE YOU. Isah  ‍0803 639 91 95

Assalam alaikum Ustaz Abubakr. Thank you for the article on 'Aborting "Allah's Purpose"' in the LEADERSHIP of Friday April 8, 2011… It was very timely. Wassalam. ‍0803 588 14 78

Salam my dear brother I must commend you and encourage you on your paper "ABORTING ALLAH'S PURPOSE." You will definitely be rewarded abundantly for this excellent work. ALLAH ya saka da alheri. ‍0806 397 86 01

ABORTING 'AIIAH'S PURPOSE': Thanks for your in-depth analyses of that blasphemous banner of Mr Endurance. That shows how desperate Jonathan is. Mr Endurance may not even be a Muslim but just wants to join the bandwagon. The business of the moment is singing Jonathan’s praises and smiling to the bank. I pity those who are deceived. I am a church elder. I am ordained to speak the truth at all times. Jonathan's quest for power after May 29th is wrong and ungodly. Elder J. Ekpe ‍0802 548 30 40

Assalamu alaikum USTAZ ASM. I read your response in LEADERSHIP today. May Allah in His Mercy add more wisdom to you.  YUSUF ‍0708 518 99 33

Thank you so much Ustaz; this is to tell you how some live a life of compromise for some little gains here and there…; this is to tell you that Mr Endurance is neither here nor there. If he is, he would have known his quotations well and known how and when to apply them best. See even the combination of his names… please, our good Muslim brothers continue praying for peace, fair and free election throughout the election period. (Mrs Usman) ‍0802 696 20 09

ASSLM Ustaz, I read your article Aborting "Allah's Purpose". May ALLAH protect and reward you with Jannatul Firdausi. Jumma'at Mubarakah. From Sani, Gombe ‍0803 332 68 52

Assalamu Alaikum Ustaz Siddeeeq, honestly I was piqued the day I saw this banner and kept praying to my Creator, Allah (SWT) to punish the sponsor of such a deceitful banner. Goodluck/Sambo should please discard mischievous personalities like the so-called Alh. Endurance among those campaigning for them. May Allah in His infinite ways reward you accordingly. Abdulazeez Muazu Mafindi ‍08033571843

Thank you very much brother for your article Aborting “Allah’s purpose". May Allah reward you abundantly. Woe unto Alhaji Haruna Endurance! ‍0806 935 30 00

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